The first stop for most visitors to Icewind Dale is Bryn Shander, a walled town perched atop a cold, lonely, wind-lashed hill. Bright lanterns suspended over narrow streets twist in the wind and add flecks of color to the town’s otherwise drab surroundings.
The friendliness in this settlement has dwindled of late. Auril’s unyielding winter has greatly reduced the number of visitors to Bryn Shander, and local trade is suffering for it, eating away at the locals’ sense of humor and goodwill. Still, there is no safer place in Icewind Dale to spend coin or spend the night.
The walls of the town stand some 30 feet high and are defined by two concentric rings of upright wooden poles, the gap between them filled with dirt and rubble. The outer ring of poles rises above the top of the wall, providing a rampart for defenders stationed on the wood-planked walkway. The wall’s hinged gates are 15 feet tall and can be barred from the inside with iron-banded wood beams. These gates are closed when it’s dark outside—which is to say more often than not.
This combination shop and smithy stands just north of the main square. Garn the Hammer (lawful good shield dwarf commoner) manufactures the cheapest blades in Ten-Towns, while his sister Elza (lawful good shield dwarf commoner) sells adventuring supplies—including rations, cold weather gear, ice picks, and snowshoes—to fortune-seekers. Most of the veteran sellswords in Ten-Towns disdain Garn’s smithcraft, due to the uninspiring quality of his work. Jokes told about hapless newcomers to Icewind Dale often end with the line “an’ ’e was carrying a Blackiron blade, to boot!”
Located near Bryn Shander’s northeast market square, this modest converted house serves as a gathering place for worshipers of Amaunator, a god of the sun known to take both male and female forms. A retired human adventurer named Mishann (neutral good priest of Amaunator) runs the shrine and aspires to see the sun regain its rightful place in the sky over Icewind Dale. She calls Amaunator “the Morninglord,” a name that southerners use to describe Lathander, a god of the dawn and rebirth. Mishann views Lathander as a usurper of Amaunator’s light and doesn’t like it when people confuse the two deities. Copper Knobberknocker. Mishann rents her attic to a pessimistic rock gnome tinkerer named Copper Knobberknocker (chaotic good rock gnome acolyte of Lathander), who begrudgingly helps with services and chores. The two argue incessantly. Copper walks around in a fuzzy suit and hood that he made himself; although it’s quite warm, it makes him look like a teddy bear. If the characters talk to Copper, he tells them he’s worried about a friend named Macreadus, who is conducting research at an old cabin in the wilderness. He says that if the characters find themselves nearby, he would appreciate it if they looked in on Macreadus, who’s trying to build a device that could end the Frostmaiden’s eternal winter and return summer to Icewind Dale.
The Northlook is the establishment most frequented by mercenaries and adventurers, and as such it’s the rowdiest and most dangerous place to stay in Bryn Shander. At the same time, its taproom is the best spot in all of Ten-Towns to get leads on profitable ventures, along with the latest news and rumors. The inn’s proprietor, a retired sellsword named Scramsax (neutral human veteran), knows full well the cycles of an adventurer’s life. He often cuts a break for customers who are between jobs, allowing them to stay here on credit and then presenting them with a bill inflated by interest charges to be reckoned with as soon as they make their next payday. Those who don’t settle their accounts discover that the old mercenary still knows how to handle a blade, and that he doesn’t take “later” for an answer. Ol' Bitey. Stuffed and mounted on a plaque above the hearth in the common room is a battle-scarred knucklehead trout named Ol’ Bitey, who pulled many a fisher into the icy depths of Maer Dualdon before it was finally caught by a human rogue named Kintyre and her companion, a human druid who called himself the Maverick. They hauled Ol’ Bitey to the Northlook in the hope of having it cooked for them, but Scramsax bought it from them and had it stuffed instead. Years later, some prankster wizard cast a spell on the stuffed fish so that it turns and snaps at any creature that comes within 5 feet of it. Occasionally, seemingly at random, Ol’ Bitey sings the following verse instead:
There's a place I like to go
Farther up the river's flow;
Where it is, I do not know;
Must be under all that snow.
Locations
The following locations are just a few places the characters might visit during their stay in Bryn Shander.Blackiron Blades
Smithy and OutfitterThis combination shop and smithy stands just north of the main square. Garn the Hammer (lawful good shield dwarf commoner) manufactures the cheapest blades in Ten-Towns, while his sister Elza (lawful good shield dwarf commoner) sells adventuring supplies—including rations, cold weather gear, ice picks, and snowshoes—to fortune-seekers. Most of the veteran sellswords in Ten-Towns disdain Garn’s smithcraft, due to the uninspiring quality of his work. Jokes told about hapless newcomers to Icewind Dale often end with the line “an’ ’e was carrying a Blackiron blade, to boot!”
House of the Morninglord
Shrine of Amaunator (God of the Sun)Located near Bryn Shander’s northeast market square, this modest converted house serves as a gathering place for worshipers of Amaunator, a god of the sun known to take both male and female forms. A retired human adventurer named Mishann (neutral good priest of Amaunator) runs the shrine and aspires to see the sun regain its rightful place in the sky over Icewind Dale. She calls Amaunator “the Morninglord,” a name that southerners use to describe Lathander, a god of the dawn and rebirth. Mishann views Lathander as a usurper of Amaunator’s light and doesn’t like it when people confuse the two deities. Copper Knobberknocker. Mishann rents her attic to a pessimistic rock gnome tinkerer named Copper Knobberknocker (chaotic good rock gnome acolyte of Lathander), who begrudgingly helps with services and chores. The two argue incessantly. Copper walks around in a fuzzy suit and hood that he made himself; although it’s quite warm, it makes him look like a teddy bear. If the characters talk to Copper, he tells them he’s worried about a friend named Macreadus, who is conducting research at an old cabin in the wilderness. He says that if the characters find themselves nearby, he would appreciate it if they looked in on Macreadus, who’s trying to build a device that could end the Frostmaiden’s eternal winter and return summer to Icewind Dale.
The Northlook
Inn and TavernThe Northlook is the establishment most frequented by mercenaries and adventurers, and as such it’s the rowdiest and most dangerous place to stay in Bryn Shander. At the same time, its taproom is the best spot in all of Ten-Towns to get leads on profitable ventures, along with the latest news and rumors. The inn’s proprietor, a retired sellsword named Scramsax (neutral human veteran), knows full well the cycles of an adventurer’s life. He often cuts a break for customers who are between jobs, allowing them to stay here on credit and then presenting them with a bill inflated by interest charges to be reckoned with as soon as they make their next payday. Those who don’t settle their accounts discover that the old mercenary still knows how to handle a blade, and that he doesn’t take “later” for an answer. Ol' Bitey. Stuffed and mounted on a plaque above the hearth in the common room is a battle-scarred knucklehead trout named Ol’ Bitey, who pulled many a fisher into the icy depths of Maer Dualdon before it was finally caught by a human rogue named Kintyre and her companion, a human druid who called himself the Maverick. They hauled Ol’ Bitey to the Northlook in the hope of having it cooked for them, but Scramsax bought it from them and had it stuffed instead. Years later, some prankster wizard cast a spell on the stuffed fish so that it turns and snaps at any creature that comes within 5 feet of it. Occasionally, seemingly at random, Ol’ Bitey sings the following verse instead:
There's a place I like to go
Farther up the river's flow;
Where it is, I do not know;
Must be under all that snow.
Friendliness.
❄❄❄
Services.
❄❄❄
Comfort.
❄❄❄
Population.
1,200 Leaders.
Speaker Duvessa Shane (lawful good human noble) speaks for the townsfolk. Though relatively young, Duvessa is the head of the Council of Speakers. Sheriff Markham Southwell (lawful good human veteran) commands the militia. Militia.
Bryn Shander can muster up to 250 soldiers (use the tribal warrior stat block) and 20 veterans.
Heraldry.
Black antlers above a vertical shaft of golden wheat on a white field, signifying the town’s strength and prosperity on the vast, snowy tundra.
Rivals.
None.
Sacrifice to Auril.
Humanoid.
Available Quest.
Foaming Mugs
❄❄❄
Services.
❄❄❄
Comfort.
❄❄❄
Population.
1,200 Leaders.
Speaker Duvessa Shane (lawful good human noble) speaks for the townsfolk. Though relatively young, Duvessa is the head of the Council of Speakers. Sheriff Markham Southwell (lawful good human veteran) commands the militia. Militia.
Bryn Shander can muster up to 250 soldiers (use the tribal warrior stat block) and 20 veterans.
Heraldry.
Black antlers above a vertical shaft of golden wheat on a white field, signifying the town’s strength and prosperity on the vast, snowy tundra.
Rivals.
None.
Sacrifice to Auril.
Humanoid.
Available Quest.
Foaming Mugs
Sheriff Markham Southwell
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